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More investigation on this subject has led to the recent (2006) discovery that the crossing and battle site were closer to the Lawrence-Giles county line just northeast of the village of Appleton, Tennessee. This is perhaps two and one-half miles west and upstream from the site at the highway 11 bridge previously described. Apparently the AOT for the most part used Powell Road west from Anthony’s Hill and then turned down Shannon Creek to the Peach Community or perhaps came on to Minor Hill before turning south through Puncheon before crossing Sugar Creek just north and east of Appleton. There is an old church still standing at Puncheon that was used as a campsite during the war. [Puncheon was a term used to describe pine logs split in half with the flat side up that were pressed into the ground to create a floor.] This area is located right on the Lawrence-Giles county line. Apparently the Army of Tennessee took a less restrictive and easier route down Shannon Creek or through the Puncheon community rather than attempting the rugged ridge that the highway follows today. The battle site can be reached through Appleton past an old general store building and on past Dobbins cemetery. The battle occurred about one half-mile north of the cemetery along the west bank of Sugar Creek near the convergence of the west fork and the main stream which is today a sandbar that could have easily been crossed in the winter of 1864. The fields north of the west bank of the stream doubtless contained the fierce battle that foggy December 26 morning. Today the meadows have been grazed by cattle and the Dobbins cemetery, through which the retreating army must have passed, remains in good repair. When leaving this valley the AOT must have followed what is today known as Hood Road on the way to Lexington thus avoiding the steep heavily forested hills to the south.
Further information from Jerold Newton in 2007:
Question:
Did they follow the 'ridge' to Minor Hill or the Powell Road
creek bed to the west from Anthony's Hill and then down to
Puncheon Church?
Response:
Larry, the Powell Road was recommended by an engineer.
Six MILES AND A HALF FROM PULASKI,
LAMBS FERRY ROAD,
December 22, 1864 1 p. m.
General J. B. Hood, Commanding Army of Tennessee:
GENERAL:
At this point I take the right-hand or Powell road; it intersects the Florence road four miles this side of Lexington and is five miles shorter; has not been traveled, and is the best route, with a good ford over Sugar Creek. I have sent an officer to examine the lower ford, and, if not fordable, will send boats sufficient to bridge it, and to remain till ordered to be taken up by you. Will camp to-night sixteen miles from Pulaski. Have already passed the worst portion of the road, and will make better speed to-morrow.
I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. W. PRESSTMAN,
Lt. Colonel and Actng. Chief Engineer, Army of Tennessee.
Jerold continued:
Powell is/was a community about two miles or so over the
Alabama/TN line, approximately due south of Appleton, and intersects the road to Lexington. Appleton was known as Pinhook formerly; I've heard it referred to as such many times in my youth, and once in the OR
a Union officer referred to it as Pinhook Town. There was also a post
office called Sugar Creek somewhere around there at the beginning of
the Civil War.
Question:
Would the AOT have crossed the west fork or the main stream at
that point? Another site upstream on the main Sugar Creek
would obviously have also necessitated a "crossing" There is a
FORD shown on USGS mapping where the road coming south from
Puncheon Church would have been located in the valley.
Response:
A second ford was mentioned in the OR and I believe it is the one over the west fork of Sugar Creek, down the road on the topo map from the ford on the main fork to the northeast. The creek becomes quite a bit larger and deeper once the two forks converge, and I don't recall any old roads crossing the creek from there on in the bottom before it goes into Alabama. The best way and probably the only way to get to the second ford now is from the Appleton side on the road that goes past the Dobbins Cemetery. The road to the ford is much better now than it was when I was a child. Back in those days it was only two ruts between the hedgerows, and no buildings existed past the cemetery. To the best of my knowledge though I believe this is the route Hood's Army traveled, exiting to Alabama through what is known now as the Warren Hollow, and on to Powell then turning west toward Lexington. I just recalled you and I had some correspondence in November on the Alabama in the Civil War Message Board about this topic. Hope this was helpful and not confusing. I'm not a writer but I like to discuss the War of Northern Aggression, and sometimes my thoughts tend to ramble.
Jerold Newton [January, 2007]
From Mike Ricketts in 2006:
Larry,
Wish I had known earlier about Franklin today. It is a beautiful day and
would have been great to be there. [Nov 26, 2006 commemoration of the battle at Franklin, TN, annual march by Sam Davis Camp SCV and others]
Yes, I made it to church just fine. We go to the early service. I hate
sitting at 10 after 12 and listening to my stomach preach more than the
preacher.
I was born and raised just north of Killen on the Old Lexington Road. My great-great grandparents on my mother's father's side bought an old log
structure there as a home. It turned out to be the old Masonville (no
longer a town) pony express/post office and I have found documentation of Forrest sleeping in that building and his men camping all over the property that would become my family's farm. Unfortunately, my cousin is now in possession of it and will do nothing with it, nor allow anyone to even go inside it. I have found several small relics on our land, but nothing significant. Lots of minie balls, etc. (personal info edited)
Also, speaking of Winstead Hill, I am also an associate member
of Freeman's Battery Forrest's Artillery Camp 1939 who placed a monument there. Have a good march today and take care. I look forward to reading this and to meeting you sometime. Maybe I will see you at the Civil War Show next Sunday. I am, Yours in the cause, Mike Ricketts
Mike Ricketts in 2006 ricketts@johnson898.scv.com offered the following:
Many think the Battle was fought at the Dobbins Cemetery, but it was about ½ mile from there. If you take that road past the big red store that goes by the cemetery, there is posted land down there. The posted land is the battle. Just past the ford of the creek is the first of 3 large fields. Between fields 2 and 3 is the ravine that the infantry fought from. It is still in pristine condition and beautiful land. I had relatives in 4th and 5th Alabama Cavalry, 16th and 35th Alabama Infantry, Morton’s Battery, 8th Tennessee Infantry, and 7th Tennessee Cavalry.
Mike followed in 2007:
You were so close you could spit on it. Just across the ford is a locked gate leading into the 1st of 3 large fields, which are all mentioned in the accounts of the battle, as well as the "Devil's Backbone" and the ditches they were using for comfort. The picture of the old store was great. Just behind that store is a farm with several horses. 2 of those
horses are mine. Mike
Behind that store, there is a farm. The gentleman that lives
there, Larry
Killen, has all that land under his care, with the exception of
a few of the
earthworks up on top of the hill behind the sign you saw about
the battle.
Sometime if you want to go out on the field, let me know and I
will get
Larry to give us a tour. He can match that map up with every
twig on the
fields.
More from Richard Jenkins in 2007: connie2@intergate.com
Larry;
Last week, I received some info on the 9th Indiana Cavalry. It seems that the 9th Indiana, the 7th Ohio, the 2nd Tennessee and the 14th Ohio Battery were the units involved in the action at Sugar Creek. One interesting thing was said after the fight had ended and Forrest pulled back was that the units involved went into camp there. The report stated that none of the men from these units had had rations for 12 days. Forage for the horses was almost nil and the land around was devoid of it.
Also the description of the area where the crossing took place had to
have been the one close to Appleton. They mention steep hills on two
sides of the road. The road to the creek was only wide enough for a
single wagon to pass or to horses side by side. It was only after the
Ohio Battery arrived and opened up that the rear guard left. The
Union forces were scattered and could not organize fast enough
to make an effective pursuit of the fleeing forces.
Also on the day of Anthony's hill, these units had camped just
east of Pulaski. They then moved down the hill and surprised the rear
guard which caused them to flee in haste. They tried to burn the
bridge across the creek but the units killed or captured the pickets at
the bridge and put the fire out.
Forrest, in the mean time had set up a small force on Anthony's
hill to slow the advance. It was said to be a strong position. The rest
of the rear guard moved to sugar creek and proceeded to build some
defensive positions there. Much stronger than at the Hill. The
weather was snow and mud in the valley and rain and fog on the
hill. The union forces camped on the hill that night and started
southwest the next morning. Union forces had very little rest as the
weather conditions were so bad.
From Forrest’s report in the Official Records:
On the morning of the 25th, after destroying all the ammunition which could not be removed from Pulaski by General Hood and two trains of cars, I ordered General Jackson to remain in town as long as possible and to destroy the bridge at Richland Creek after everything had passed over. The enemy soon pressed General Jackson, but he held him in check for some time, killing and wounding several before retiring. Seven miles from Pulaski I took position on King's Hill, and awaiting the advance of the enemy, repulsed him, with a loss of 150 killed and wounded, besides capturing many prisoners and one piece of artillery. The enemy made no further demonstrations during the day. I halted my command at Sugar Creek, where it encamped during the night.
On the morning of the 26th the enemy commenced advancing, driving back General Ross' pickets. Owing to the dense fog he could not see the temporary fortifications which the infantry had thrown up and behind which they were secreted. The enemy therefore advanced to within fifty paces of these works, when a volley was opened upon him, causing the wildest confusion. Two mounted regiments of Ross' brigade and Ector's and Granbury's brigades of infantry were ordered to charge upon the discomfited foe, which was done, producing a complete rout. The enemy was pursued for two miles, but showing no disposition to give battle my troops were ordered back. In this engagement he sustained a loss of about 150 in killed and wounded; many prisoners and horses were captured and about 400 horses killed. I held this position for two hours, but the enemy showing no disposition to renew the attack, and fearing he might attempt a flank movement in the dense fog, I resumed the march, after leaving a picket with orders to remain until 4 o'clock. The enemy made no further attack between Sugar Creek and Tennessee River, which stream I crossed on the evening of the 27th of December.
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